Bizarre Win XP behaviour

[BOAC]

No 2 son - BSODs. Never mind says I, we'll do a Repair/Install. Cannot run Setup from XP CDROM 'OHCI1394.sys' is corrupt. Only option a reboot - same again. I pass him a copy of said file and he copies it into i386 in a brief non-BSOD moment. Now setup disk runs - BUT will not accept any key inputs from keyboard. Reboot and of we go again OHCI1394..................... By this stage I am smelling a root virus.So, we decide to go whole hog and install 7. All done and 'satis', so out of interest, any ideas what might have been the cause?

[Milo Minderbinder]

Faulty CD disk
Or a CD drive with bad read geometry

[BOAC]

Neither. Both CD and drive test normally.

[Mac the Knife]

Lots of stuff about ohci1394.sys on Google - seems to be a not uncommon problem 'tho never experienced it myself.

ohci1394.sys is the Firewire Host Controller System Driver

Did you try this?

"Use the “Windows Repair function on the install disk” this works for both XP and Vista. Put your XP or Vista disk into your CD drive and restart your system. This will start the XP installation process. When you come to the screen that asks if you want to install XP or if you would like to “Repair” XP, choose Repair. This will open the repair console command prompt go then at the prompt, enter this “CHKDSK C:/R” (or CHKDSK /R to repair the OS on the default HDD partition e.g. C:\). Now hit “Enter”. The repair should now start. Allow it to run until it stops. This can take some time, so be patient."

:ok: Mac

[BOAC]

Yes, Mac - that is what I have described!

[Milo Minderbinder]

you may have "tested" the CD but that proves nothing
You really should try another CD.

Your problem is quite simply that either the machine cannot read the CD
OR it cannot overwrite the sector on the hard drive where the current version of that file resides. Possibly because its virused, possibly because that part of the hard drive is bad / corrupt
Reformatting and doing a clean installation may fix it. As may forcing deletion of the existing copy of the file (e.e with Unlocker)
However, the most likely problem is with the CD

[BOAC]

OR it cannot overwrite the sector on the hard drive where the current version of that file resides. Possibly because its virused, possibly because that part of the hard drive is bad / corrupt Reformatting and doing a clean installation may fix it. - that is correct. CD is fine. Unlocker NOT an option. Simples. As you can see, a clean install was not possible either, which is why 7 now sits there.

Mac - your 'advice' could well be quite misleading, as you may lead folk to make the wrong selection with the CD.

Anyone contemplating such should read How to Perform a Windows XP Repair Install (http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/XPrepairinstall.htm) CAREFULLY and follow the advice there. Selecting the first 'Repair' option will simply put a new Win XP on your drive and you will lose all installed programmes and settings. It is the 'To set up Windows' option you need.

[Superpilot]

Ditto Milo. If you are confident that the CD is fine then the hard disk sector that is being written to when that file is being copied is corrupt. Has happened to me in the past. It's not a coincidence that the file is being copied to the bad sector each time, it's simply because data is being copied serially with each blob being written at the exact same place each time. The fact that Windows 7 is sitting there happily is only masking the issue as the file copied to that bad sector might not be critical enough for the OS to care.

Might be an idea to get hold of a health checker (all the big vendors do them) for the hard disk to rule out bad sectors and the like.

[Milo Minderbinder]

"CD is fine"
The only way you can say that is if you can successfully use that CD to install windows on another PC
No amount of CD testing will confirm it as faulty or not

[BOAC]

OI! - what do you think I did to check the CD?:ugh:

SP - the file is no longer 'sitting' there, as the hard was reformatted and has passed several checks of differing sorts. The enquiry was to see if anyone knew of this behaviour, especially the 'dead keyboard' at stage 2.

[Milo Minderbinder]

"especially the 'dead keyboard' at stage 2."

At a guess you have a USB keyboard, and in BIOS USB keyboard and mouse emulation is turned off. At that stage in XP setup, 16-bit DOS drivers are used and the emulation needs to be "on"
Either that or you have an oddball keyboard which needs special drivers. In which case you have a major gumption trap

[BOAC]

MM - that I do not understand - I have had the misfortune to do a few repair.installs of XP (on MY machine) and there has never been an 'issue' with the keyboard. Why is it 'Off' and how is it turned 'on'?

[Milo Minderbinder]

Its a BIOS setting
USually under the USB section in "integrated devices" or similar
Basically under USB yo need to enable "USB keyboard" spport or "legacy support" or similar
Can#t be exact without knowing make / model of motherboard.

[PPRuNe Pop]

Could be this - I just had it! Well at least similar. AT stage two - after you CANNOT accept the 'rules' press F Lock and you are away again. IF IF IF that really is the problem!